Exams to include MOE's new curriculum in '18

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The new adjustments to the Chinese and history curriculum will be included in exams starting from 2018, Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Chen Shu-huey (陳淑慧) stated on behalf of the Ministry of Education (MOE), yesterday.

The 12-year compulsory education system will be implemented in August this year. As part of its efforts to work in tandem with the new policy, the MOE decided to make adjustments to high school history course guidelines that were passed by MOE officials on Monday night. The new guidelines will be put into effect for 10th graders in 2015.

According to the MOE, the adjustments to history curricula will include adding more details about the Japanese colonial period and the Republic of China period, with the 228 incident and the land reform policies from 1949 to 1953 also listed as crucial events in the new guidelines.

Chiang said that the new course guidelines are published and they will not be put into effect until the 2015 school year, and will be done based on the standard procedure.

Chen said that the MOE held 12 conferences and three public hearings to collect public opinions before making the final decision on the changes.

According to Chen, the newly altered history guidelines will be included in courses from the 2015 school year onward, and the guidelines will also be a part of exams starting from the 2018 school year.

Chiu said that the MOE did not explain the course guideline adjustment to the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee before passing it, which was an intentional act to avoid the Legislative Yuan's supervision.

If the MOE chooses to ignore the opposition to the new course curriculum adjustments from civil organizations, Chiu said, it might create an irreparable estrangement between the executive and legislative systems.

Chiu said that after the opening of the Legislative session, legislators will pay greater attention to supervising the MOE.